


Breaking the Bonds

by Video_killed_the_radio_host



Series: Oiche Vale [1]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Bad Things Happen to Cecil Palmer, Earl Harlan is a good friend, Elf! Carlos the Scientist, Elf! Earl Harlan, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fantasy AU, Gen, M/M, One Sided Enemies to Lovers, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Political Marriage, Siren! Cecil Palmer, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:13:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29812407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Video_killed_the_radio_host/pseuds/Video_killed_the_radio_host
Summary: Carlos had settled into life as king but when he encounters a wounded siren that seems to despise him, he's throw into the verge of war.
Relationships: Carlos/Cecil Palmer
Series: Oiche Vale [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191482
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Breaking the Bonds

Carlos looks up when there is a soft tapping at his door. He stands, reaching for where the simple circlet was resting on the desk and puts it on. “Earl?”

The red haired Elf wrings his hands nervously. “I think you need to see this Sire.”

Carlos feels his nerves twist. An attack? “Show me”

Earl nods and waits for the king to join him before leading him down the hall. 

“Earl what’s going on?”

“We aren’t under attack.” Earl assured the other Elf. “At least I don’t believe so.” He offers. “But we do have a…guest?”

Carlos furrows his eyebrows in confusion at the tone of Earl’s voice but stops abruptly when he’s hit with a strong smell of salt water and something nearly sickeningly sweet. He exits the corridor and steps into the courtyard. The scene makes him pause.

Three guards flanked a nearly naked blonde man on the ground. It wasn’t a man Carlos had ever seen before. He had flared ears and strange eyes that were currently glaring at Carlos coldly as the men struggled to get him into a set of cuffs. It appeared he was stronger than he looked. 

“What’s going on?” Carlos asks, forcing himself to look away from the beautiful stranger.

“He was caught stealing and when pursued he fled here.” One of the guards explains, jerking back to avoid sharp teeth. 

“What did he steal?”

“Some clothes and food from the market.” Another guard explains, finally getting the man’s wrists into the cuffs but getting bit in the process. 

“Where are these items?” Carlos asks, approaching the now shackled man and crouching down. Now that he was close he could see the scales dusting his cheek bones and throat. A Siren. 

“They were returned.”

“If they were returned, why is this man in chains?”

“He is trespassing.”

“Step aside.” Carlos squares his shoulders and stands. 

“But sire-” 

“I said stand aside.” 

The men pull the Siren to his feet before stepping back.

“I don’t need your pity.” The man’s voice sounds much deeper than it should have been but also slightly musical. He spits a series of curse words that Carlos doesn’t understand and bares his teeth again. 

Carlos puts his hands up. “I’m not offering you pity.” 

The man snarls again. “If you’re going to kill me just get it over with.”

“I don’t make a habit of killing strangers.” 

“You’re a king are you not?” The man retorts.

“Carlos.” Earl says, putting a hand on Carlos’ shoulder and tips his head to the side. 

Carlos takes a step back and turns toward Earl. “What is it?”

“This man is a Siren.”

“Yes. I know.”

“He’s in heat.”

Carlos looks back at the man, his body shivering as he struggles against the bonds. Ah. That explains the smell. “We can’t let him loose in town like this. He’ll be attacked.”

“So what do we do?”

“Maybe we should keep him here?” Earl suggests.

“How exactly?” Carlos looks back at the man.He was still struggling against the bonds, growling at one of the guards that had gotten close.

Earl studies the man. “I could…knock him out?”

“Would that be safe?”

“If we can get him to stand still long enough, it should be.”

“And how exactly do we get him to stand still?” Carlos looks at the man once more. He pursed his lips in thought before slowly approaching the man again and taking off his coat. 

The strange man growls at Carlos but it’s clear his exhaustion is winning. Carlos crouches and drapes the jacket around the man’s shoulders.

“I’m not a threat to you.” Carlos does his best to reassure him. 

“You’re nobility.” The man retorts.

“What gave it away?” Carlos chuckles.

“Don’t touch me Buachaill Saibhir Millte.” The man spits in Carlos’ face.

Earl muffles a laugh. He joins Carlos, knelt beside the man. “My name is Earl. I’m a doctor. Can I help you up?”

“I just need to get laid. I’ll be fine.” The man shakes his head. “Though I may have been stabbed. Just a little.”

“Just a little?” Earl smiles. “Can I see?”

The man hesitates but slowly shifts his legs open to show them the broken blade embedded in his thigh. Carlos winces. How was he still standing for so long? Spite probably. Or Adrenaline. 

Earl makes a sympathetic noise. “I could take care of that for you if you’d like.”

“I think I’m going to pass out now.”

“Try to fall back into the grass so you don’t-“ 

The man groans softly and falls back, completely unconscious. 

“Well I guess that works.” Earl muses. “Help me get him up.”

“He made it pretty clear he didn’t want me to touch him.”

“Stop being difficult and help me.”

Carlos sighs a little but joins Earl nonetheless. “What do you want me to do?”

“Pick him up and follow me.”

Carlos sighs a little but does as he’s told and picks the unconscious man up, following Earl back down the hall. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“I took an oath to help everyone in need. Even if they seem to hate you.”

“I don’t even know why he hates me. We’ve never met.”

“Maybe he’s just upset.”

Carlos looks at the unconscious man in his arms. His face looks much sweeter now that he wasn’t spitting or trying to bite. Where did he come from?

“Lay him here.” Earl instructs, pulling back a blanket on one of the admittedly more comfortable beds in the middle of his work space. Carlos does so and steps back.

“Is he going to be okay?” 

Earl inspects the wound around the knife. “I think this caused permanent damage but I don’t think he’ll die.”

“Is there anything else I can do for now?”

“Nope. I need you out of my space so I can work.” Earl shoes him out. “With all due respect, your highness, go away.”

Carlos pets his hands up and lets himself be pushed out. “Keep me updated.”

The only answer Carlos gets is a door to the face. He chuckles softly and shakes his head, starting down the corridor. He spots the head of his guard and starts toward him. “Magnus.”

The tall, dark haired Fae turns towards him, folding his gold wings neatly behind him. “Sire.” He tips his head in greeting. The dark haired woman next to him gives a small courtesy. 

Carlos nods back. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Of course sire. What is it?”

“We took in a man today. A Siren. I think he’s running from something. Will you look into that for me?”

Mangus hums and nods in thought. “Do you think he is a threat?”

“I don’t think so.” Carlos shakes his head. “But I would like to know if someone is after him. I don’t want to be unprepared for an attack.”

“Of course Sire. I will see what I can find out. Do we have anything to go on?”

“Uh...well he’s currently in heat? Oh and his eyes are purple. And he was stabbed?”

“He’s in heat?” The woman- Sarem, Magnus’ wife and an assistant of Earl’s- asks. “Where is he now?”

“Earl is taking care of him-”

“Thank you.” Sarem kisses Magnus’ cheek and gives a quick bow to Carlos before hurrying down the hall toward the infirmary.

“O..kay…” Carlos watches her hurry away.

Magnus chuckles softly. “A Selkie’s song can keep him asleep long enough for Earl to do what he needs to. Speaking of, if I could have that knife it would make tracking who stabbed him much easier.”

“I will see what I can do. Thank you Magnus.”


End file.
